Draža Mihailović, Serbian general (d. 1946)

Dragoljub "Draža" Mihailović (Serbian Cyrillic: Драгољуб Дража Михаиловић; 27 April 1893 – 17 July 1946) was a prominent Yugoslav Serb general whose life and legacy remain subjects of intense historical debate and national memory. Born in Ivanjica, a town in western Serbia, and later raised in the bustling capital of Belgrade, Mihailović was a career military officer. His early service distinguished him in the tumultuous Balkan Wars (1912-1913) and the First World War (1914-1918), where he earned a reputation for bravery and strategic acumen, experiences that would shape his approach to warfare in the decades to come.

The Second World War and the Rise of the Chetnik Movement

The Genesis of the Chetnik Movement

The calamity of April 1941 saw Yugoslavia quickly overrun and dismembered by the Axis powers. Following the swift collapse of the Royal Yugoslav Army, General Mihailović refused to accept defeat. Instead, he retreated with a small group of officers and soldiers to the remote plateau of Ravna Gora in western Serbia. Here, he began to organize what became known as the Chetnik Detachments of the Yugoslav Army, more commonly referred to simply as the Chetniks. This movement envisioned itself as the loyalist remnants of the Royal Yugoslav Army, dedicated to restoring the monarchy and preserving a unified, though Serb-dominated, Yugoslavia. Their ideology was deeply rooted in Serbian nationalism and royalism, contrasting sharply with the multi-ethnic, communist vision of the other major resistance force.

Resistance and Growing Division

Initially, Mihailović’s Chetniks engaged in guerrilla warfare against the German occupying forces. For a brief period in 1941, they even coordinated some actions with the other significant resistance group, the Partisans, led by the communist Josip Broz Tito. This uneasy alliance, born out of a shared enemy, was inherently fragile. Fundamental differences in strategy, ideology, and political objectives soon drove an insurmountable wedge between them. While the Partisans advocated for immediate and widespread armed insurrection and a revolutionary post-war social order, Mihailović and his Chetniks preferred a more cautious approach, aiming to preserve their strength for an anticipated Allied landing and a swift restoration of the pre-war order. Furthermore, the Chetniks' strong Serb nationalist stance often clashed with the Partisans' pan-Yugoslav, multi-ethnic appeal. By late 1941, this initial cooperation had dissolved, giving way to open and often brutal conflict between the two resistance movements, turning Yugoslavia's resistance struggle into a complex civil war.

The Shifting Tides and Allegations of Collaboration

As the war progressed, Mihailović’s strategy of conserving forces and his often-hesitant engagement with the occupiers became increasingly problematic for the Western Allies, particularly Great Britain. Compounding this, many Chetnik groups, often acting locally and sometimes with or without explicit orders from Mihailović's high command, began to establish "modus vivendi" or even openly collaborate with the Axis powers, including German, Italian, and quisling forces like those of Milan Nedić’s Serbian puppet government and Dimitrije Ljotić’s fascist Zbor. This collaboration, driven by tactical necessity, anti-communism, and a desire to consolidate power against the Partisans, became a severe liability. British Special Operations Executive (SOE) reports from the ground increasingly highlighted Chetnik inaction against the Axis and their growing conflicts with the Partisans. Ultimately, these factors, coupled with the Partisans' demonstrable and effective resistance against the Axis, led to a decisive shift in Allied support. By 1944, the Allies, primarily Britain and the United States, transferred their full backing to Tito’s Partisans, abandoning Mihailović and effectively sealing his fate. Towards the very end of the war, as the Axis front collapsed, Mihailović himself became more openly associated with the collaborationist forces of Nedić and Ljotić in a desperate bid to counter the Partisan advance.

Post-War Fate and Enduring Legacy

Capture, Trial, and Execution

With the Axis defeated and Tito’s communist Partisans establishing control over the newly formed Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia, Mihailović went into hiding. His flight, however, was short-lived. In March 1946, he was captured by Yugoslav authorities. What followed was a highly publicized trial in Belgrade in July 1946, widely characterized by many as a show trial, designed to consolidate communist power and discredit all wartime opponents. Mihailović was charged with, and subsequently convicted of, high treason and various war crimes, including collaboration with the Axis powers and massacres against non-Serbs and Partisan sympathizers. On 17 July 1946, Dragoljub Mihailović was executed by firing squad in Belgrade, his place of burial remaining undisclosed to this day.

Controversy and Rehabilitation

Despite his execution, the nature and extent of Mihailović's responsibility for collaboration and ethnic massacres have remained profoundly controversial, particularly within Serbia and among the Serbian diaspora. For decades, he was officially vilified as a traitor and collaborator in communist Yugoslavia. However, with the breakup of Yugoslavia and the rise of new national narratives, a movement to re-evaluate his role gained momentum. In a landmark decision in May 2015, the Supreme Court of Cassation of Serbia officially overturned Mihailović's 1946 verdict. The court cited that his trial and conviction were politically and ideologically motivated, and that he did not receive a fair trial. While this ruling legally rehabilitated Mihailović in Serbia, restoring his civil rights and those of his family, it did not resolve the broader historical debate. His legacy continues to be fiercely contested, symbolizing for some a valiant anti-communist and anti-Axis resistance fighter, and for others, a collaborator responsible for horrific atrocities.

Frequently Asked Questions about Dragoljub "Draža" Mihailović

Who was Dragoljub "Draža" Mihailović?
Dragoljub "Draža" Mihailović was a Yugoslav Serb general and a veteran of the Balkan Wars and World War I. During World War II, he led the Chetniks, a royalist and nationalist guerrilla force in Yugoslavia, initially resisting the Axis occupation but later becoming embroiled in civil war with Tito's Partisans and facing accusations of collaboration.
What were the Chetniks?
The Chetniks, officially known as the Chetnik Detachments of the Yugoslav Army (or later, the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland), were a Serb nationalist and royalist guerrilla movement led by Mihailović during World War II. They sought to restore the Yugoslav monarchy and were primarily composed of Serbs, often engaging in conflict with non-Serb ethnic groups and the communist Partisans.
Why did the Allies shift support from Mihailović to Tito?
The Allies, particularly Great Britain, shifted their support from Mihailović to Josip Broz Tito's Partisans by 1944 primarily due to Chetnik inaction against the Axis powers, evidence of their collaboration with the occupiers (especially against the Partisans), and the Partisans' demonstrably more effective and widespread resistance efforts. Allied intelligence reports favored Tito's movement as the more viable and impactful resistance force.
What was Mihailović convicted of after World War II?
After his capture in 1946, Mihailović was tried by the communist authorities of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia. He was convicted of high treason, collaboration with the Axis powers, and various war crimes, including responsibility for massacres against civilians.
What is the significance of Mihailović's 2015 rehabilitation?
In May 2015, the Supreme Court of Cassation of Serbia overturned Mihailović's 1946 conviction, declaring that his trial was politically and ideologically motivated and that he did not receive a fair judicial process. This legal rehabilitation restored his civil rights and sparked considerable debate both within Serbia and internationally about his historical role, without resolving the underlying controversies surrounding his wartime actions.
Was Mihailović a war hero or a collaborator?
Mihailović's legacy is highly controversial. Supporters view him as a Serbian patriot and a legitimate anti-Axis resistance leader who fought communism. Critics and historical evidence, however, point to significant instances of collaboration by his forces with the Axis against the Partisans, and his responsibility for ethnic cleansing, leading to his condemnation as a collaborator and war criminal. His role continues to be a focal point of historical revisionism and political debate in the Balkans.